The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, and in more detail, to an ink jet recording apparatus by which, after an ink is jetted and recorded onto a recording medium having an ink receiving layer including thermoplastic resin particles on the surface layer, the recording medium is heated and pressurized by a heating and pressing means.
The ink jet recording to jet the minute liquid drop of the ink onto the recording surface of the recording medium and conduct the image recording, advances so that the increase of the high image quality and reduction of the apparatus cost are possible so far as almost equal to the silver halide photography by the recent technical advances, and rapidly spreads.
The ink used in such the ink jet recording is largely divided into the dye ink and the pigment ink. The dye ink is soluble in a solvent, and has high purity and shows clear coloring, and it has no grainness and because the scattered light and the reflected light are not generated, the transparentness is high and the color hue is sharp and on the one hand, when the dyestuff molecule is destroyed by the photochemical reaction, because the decrease of the number of molecules influences on the coloring density as it is, there is a problem that the light resistance is poor. In contrast to this, the pigment ink is insoluble in the solvent, and dyestuff molecules form the particles and contribute to the coloring under the condition that they are dispersed in the solvent, and even when the molecule on the surface is destroyed by the photochemical reaction, because a new dyestuff molecule layer exists in the lower portion of it, the apparent lowering of the tinting strength is small, and there is an advantage that the image conservation is excellent to the dye ink.
However, there is a problem that the pigment ink is inferior in the glossiness due to the influence of the scattered light and the reflected light due to particles. Therefore, in order to provide the glossiness onto the recording medium surface on which an image is formed by using the pigment ink including the dispersing agent, and further to prevent the bleeding due to the contact of the image with water, and to increase the friction resistance, the technology by which the image is recorded and formed by using the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer, and after that, by heating and pressing the recording medium, the thermoplastic resin particle in the ink receiving layer is fused and smoothed, and the ink receiving layer is made transparent, is proposed (Japanese Tokugan No. 2000-164386).
However, if the process of heating and pressing the recording medium is not conducted with a proper heating temperature, various problems may be raised. In particular, when the recording medium is a resin coated paper in which a paper substrate is coated with a resin, if the heating process is conducted with a temperature higher than the heat resistance of the resin, there is a problem that the resin coated paper may deform or may be damaged. In contrast, if the heating process is conducted with an excessively low temperature, thermoplastic resin particles are not made to be sufficiently transparent or it may take a long time to make the thermoplastic resin particles to be sufficiently transparent.
In such the technology, the recording medium on which the image is recorded and formed by the recording head, is conveyed to the heating and pressing means by the conveying means in order to make the ink receiving layer transparent, and heated and pressurized and the ink receiving layer is made transparent, however, in order to form the high quality image print, it is required that, making the ink receiving layer transparent, is adequately conducted with a proper heating temperature.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus by which, when the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer, is heated and pressured and its ink receiving layer is made transparent, the making transparent is adequately conducted and the high quality image print can be formed.
The above object can be attained by the following structures.
(1-1) An inkjet recording apparatus, comprises:
a recording head to conduct recording by jetting an ink onto a recording medium having an ink receiving layer containing thermoplastic resin particles on a surface thereof and a pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining to an inner side of the ink receiving layer;
a heating and pressing device to heat and press the recording medium so as to make the ink receiving layer of the recording medium to be transparent;
a conveyor to convey the recording medium to the recording head and further to the heating and pressing device; and
a temperature controller to control a heating temperature by the heating and pressing device within a range of T0xc2x1xcex94Txc2x0 C., where T0 is 50 to 150xc2x0 C. and xcex94T is not larger than 10xc2x0 C.
(1-2) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), T0 is 80 to 130xc2x0 C.
(1-3) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the inkjet recording apparatus is adapted to record an image on one of plural kinds of recording medium and the heating and pressing device changes a heating and pressing time period in accordance with the kind of the recording medium.
(1-4) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the inkjet recording apparatus is adapted to record an image on one of plural kinds of recording medium and the temperature controller changes the heating temperature in accordance with the kind of the recording medium.
(1-5) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device comprises a belt member stretched around at least two rollers and a roller coming in contact with the belt member so as to form a nip section therebetween where the recording medium passes through.
(1-6) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device comprises two belt members each stretched around at least two rollers and the two belt members come in contact with each other so as to form a nip section therebetween where the recording medium passes through.
(1-7) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device presses the recording medium with a pressing force of 9.8xc3x97104 to 4.9xc3x97106 Pa.
(1-8) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device has a recording medium contacting surface to contact the recording medium and comprises a cleaning member to clean the recording medium contacting surface.
(1-9) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device has a recording medium contacting surface to contact the recording medium and comprises a transfer preventing liquid providing member to provide the recording medium contacting surface with a transfer preventing liquid to prevent a part of the recording medium or an ink from transferring to the recording medium contacting surface.
(1-10) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-9), the transfer preventing liquid contains a silicone oil.
(1-11) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device has a recording medium contacting surface to contact the recording medium and comprises a transfer preventing liquid providing member to provide the recording medium contacting surface with a transfer preventing liquid to prevent a part of the recording medium or an ink from transferring to the recording medium contacting surface before heating and pressing the recording medium after the recording head has conducted recording on the recording medium.
(1-12) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device has a recording medium contacting surface to contact the recording medium and comprises a glossing liquid providing member to provide a glossing liquid onto the recording medium contacting surface.
(1-13) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-12), the inkjet recording apparatus is adapted to record an image on one of plural kinds of recording medium and the a glossing liquid providing member comprises a control section to control whether or not to provide the glossing liquid in accordance with the kind of the recording medium.
(1-14) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-12), the inkjet recording apparatus is adapted to record an image on one of plural kinds of recording medium and the a glossing liquid providing member comprises a selecting section to select whether or not to provide the glossing liquid.
(1-15) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-12), the glossing liquid contains a silicone oil.
(1-16) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), further the inkjet recording apparatus comprises a glossing liquid providing member to provide a glossing liquid onto the recording medium after the recording head has conducted recording on the recording medium.
(1-17) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), when the inkjet recording apparatus does not conduct recording during a predetermined time period, the temperature controller stop controlling the heating temperature such that the heating and pressing device stop heat generation.
(1-18) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-17), when the temperature controller resumes controlling the heating temperature after the temperature controller stopped the controlling, the heating and pressing device conduct heating and pressing by prolong relatively a heating and pressing time period after the heating temperature becomes higher than a lowest heating temperature and until the heating temperature becomes within a predetermined temperature range.
(1-19) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-18), when the heating and pressing device prolongs the heating and pressing time period for the recording medium, the recording head prolongs relatively a recording time period per a unit length of the recording medium in a conveying direction.
(1-20) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-19), the recording head scans on the recording sheet forwardly backwardly in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and wherein the recording head prolongs the recording time period by adjusting a stop time at which a scanning direction is changed.
(1-21) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-19), the recording head is a line head having a length corresponding to a width of the recording medium, and wherein the recording head prolongs the recording time period by adjusting a ink jetting time interval.
(1-22) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), when the inkjet recording apparatus does not conduct recording during a predetermined time period, the temperature controller controls such that the heating and pressing device keeps the heating temperature within a second temperature lower than the range.
(1-23) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), when the inkjet recording apparatus does not conduct recording during a predetermined time period, the temperature controller controls such that the heating and pressing device keeps the heating temperature within a second temperature lower than the range, and further when the inkjet recording apparatus does not conduct recording during a predetermined another time period, the temperature controller stop controlling the heating temperature such that the heating and pressing device stop heat generation.
(1-24) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device comprises a heating roller, a driven roller, a heating belt stretched around the heating roller and the driven roller, a pressing roller provided opposite to the heating roller, and a pressing member provided downstream in a conveying direction from the pressing roller and to press the recording medium.
(1-25) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-24), the heating belt is an endless belt whose surface roughness is 0.01 xcexcm to 0.5 xcexcm.
(1-26) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-24), the pressing member is a plate.
(1-27) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-1), the heating and pressing device comprises a heating roller, a driven roller, a heating belt stretched around the heating roller and the driven roller, a pressing roller provided opposite to the heating roller, and a pressing belt to press the heating belt.
(1-28) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-27), the heating belt and the pressing belt come in contact with each other.
(1-29) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-27), the heating belt has a surface roughness of 0.01 xcexcm to 0.5 xcexcm.
(1-30) In the inkjet recording apparatus of (1-27), when the conveyor conveys the recording medium through the heating and pressing device, the heating and pressing device comes in contact with the recording medium for a contact time of 3 to 15 seconds.
(1-31) A inkjet recording method of recording an image on a recording medium having an ink receiving layer containing thermoplastic resin particles on a surface thereof and a pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining to an inner side of the ink receiving layer, comprises steps of:
recording an image with a pigment ink;
making the ink receiving layer to be transparent by heating and pressing the recording medium with a heating temperature of T0xc2x1xcex94Txc2x0 C., where T0 is 50 to 150xc2x0 C. and xcex94T is not larger than 10xc2x0 C.
(1-32) In the inkjet recording method of (1-31), T0 is 80 to 130xc2x0 C.
Further, the above object of the present invention may be attained by the following preferable structures.
(2-1) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the heating and pressurizing time of the recording medium by the heating and pressing means is 0.1-2 sec.
Thereby, the heating and pressurizing processing sufficiently necessary for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent, can be realized, and the good image print can be made.
(2-2) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the heating and pressurizing time of the recording medium by the heating and pressing means is changed depending on the kind of recording media.
Thereby, on the various recording media, the heating and pressurizing processing can be respectively conducted by the optimum heating time, and it is effective for the good quality image print formation.
(2-3) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein, depending on the kind of the recording media, the maintaining temperature range of the heating and pressing means is changed.
Thereby, on the various recording media, the heating and pressurizing processing can be respectively conducted at the optimum heating temperature, and it is effective for the good quality image print formation.
(2-4) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the heating and pressing means is structured by including 2 rollers which sandwich the recording medium and are opposite to each other, and at least one recording medium contact surface of 2 rollers is structured by a member of a longitudinal elastic modulus (Young""s modulus) of 106-107 Pa.
Thereby, the adequate pressurizing strength and pressurizing time can be obtained by a simple structure.
(2-5) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the heating and pressing means is structured by including a belt member stretched among more than 2 rollers, and the rollers which sandwich the belt member and the recording medium and are opposite to each other.
Thereby, because the roller and the belt member are brought into surface-contact by pressure-contacting, the adequate pressurizing force and pressurizing time can be obtained even in the case of the high speed processing. Further, when the arrangement of the belt member and the roller suspending the belt member and tension of the belt member are adjusted, the contacting area and pressurizing force of the belt member with the roller opposite to the belt member can be easily adjusted.
(2-6) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the heating and pressing means is structured by including 2 belt members which sandwich the recording medium and are opposite to each other, and roller group to suspend the belt members.
Thereby, because the roller and the belt member are brought into surface-contact by pressure-contacting, the adequate pressurizing force and pressurizing time can be obtained even in the case of the high speed processing. Further, when the arrangement of each of rollers or the tension of each of belt members is adjusted, the contacting area and pressurizing force of the belt member with each other can be easily adjusted. Further, the degree of freedom of the design in the conveying direction of the recording medium is high, and it is advantageous for the size reduction of the apparatus or the increase of the operability.
(2-7) An ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of item (2-1) to (2-6), having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein, when the predetermined temperature range is T0xc2x1xcex94Txc2x0 C., T0 is 50-150xc2x0 C., and xcex94T is not higher than 10xc2x0 C.
Thereby, the stable heating processing of the recording medium can be conducted within the temperature range which is sufficiently necessary for heating processing, and making the ink receiving layer transparent can be stably conducted with the good quality.
(2-8) An ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of items (2-1) to (2-7), wherein the recording medium pressurizing force by the heating and pressing means is 9.8xc3x97104-4.9xc3x97106 Pa.
Thereby, the stable pressurizing processing of the recording medium can be conducted with the pressurizing force which is sufficiently necessary for pressurizing processing, and making the ink receiving layer transparent can be stably conducted with the good quality.
(2-9) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein a cleaning means for cleaning the recording medium contact surface of the heating and pressing means is provided.
Thereby, it can be prevented that, in the heating and pressing means, the contact surface with the recording medium is soiled, and the image of the recording medium is soiled, and the heating and pressurizing performance is lowered, and the ink receiving layer of the recording medium can be always made transparent with good quality.
(2-10) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the apparatus has a transfer prevention liquid providing means for providing the transfer prevention liquid to prevent one portion of the recording medium or ink from transferring onto the contact surface of the recording medium of the heating and pressing means to the recording medium contact surface of the heating and pressing means.
Thereby, a portion of the recording medium or the ink is prevented from transferring onto the recording medium contact surface of the heating and pressing means, and it can be prevented that the contact surface with the recording medium is soiled and the image of the recording medium is soiled, and the heating and pressurizing performance is lowered, and the ink receiving layer of the recording medium can be always made transparent with good quality.
(2-11) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the apparatus has a transfer prevention liquid providing means for providing the transfer prevention liquid to prevent one portion of the recording medium or ink from transferring onto the contact surface of the recording medium of the heating and pressing means to the recording medium after recording and before heating and pressurizing.
Thereby, a portion of the recording medium or the ink is prevented from transferring onto the recording medium contact surface of the heating and pressing means, and it can be prevented that the contact surface with the recording medium is soiled and the image of the recording medium is soiled, and the heating and pressurizing performance is lowered, and the ink receiving layer of the recording medium can be always made transparent with good quality.
(2-12) An ink jet recording apparatus according to item 2-10 or 2-11, wherein the transfer prevention liquid includes silicone oil.
Thereby, the transfer onto the contact surface with the recording medium of the heating and pressing means can be surely prevented by the low cost and stable material.
(2-13) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the apparatus has a gloss liquid providing means for providing the gloss liquid to provide the gloss to the recording medium to the recording medium contact surface of the heating and pressing means.
Thereby, in addition to making the recording medium surface transparent, the apparatus can provide the further gloss, and can form the higher quality image print.
(2-14) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein the apparatus has a gloss liquid providing means for providing the gloss liquid to provide the gloss to the recording medium to the recording medium after recording.
Thereby, in addition to making the recording medium surface transparent, the apparatus can provide the further gloss, and can form the higher quality image print.
(2-15) An ink jet recording apparatus according to items 2-13 or 2-14, wherein the apparatus has a control means for controlling whether the gloss liquid is provided, depending on the kind of recording media.
Thereby, the apparatus can automatically select only the recording medium of the kind to which the gloss is to be provided, and provide the gloss to it.
(2-16) An ink jet recording apparatus according to items 2-13 or 2-14, wherein the apparatus has the gloss liquid providing selection means for selecting whether the gloss liquid is to be provided.
Thereby, it can be freely selected depending on the purpose whether the gloss liquid is to be provided to the recording medium.
(2-17) An ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of items 2-13-2-16, wherein the gloss liquid includes silicon oil.
Thereby, the gloss can be surely provided onto the recording medium surface by the low cost and stable material.
(2-18) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein, when recording is not conducted for a predetermined time period, the temperature control by the temperature control means is stopped, and the heating of the heating and pressing means is stopped.
Thereby, the useless electric power consumption is suppressed and the saving of power consumption can be attained.
(2-19) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein, when the recording is not conducted for a predetermined time period, the heating and pressing means is maintained within the second temperature range which is lower than a predetermined temperature range.
Thereby, the saving of the power consumption can be attained, and because the heating and pressing means can be quickly heated when the heating and pressurizing processing is started, the heating and pressurizing processing can be restarted in a short time.
(2-20) An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head to record by jetting the ink onto the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer, and the pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining the inside of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing means for heating and pressurizing the recording medium and for making the ink receiving layer of the recording medium transparent; a temperature control means for maintaining the temperature of the heating and pressing means within a predetermined temperature range; and a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium on which recording is conducted by the recording head, to the heating and pressing means, wherein, when the recording is not conducted for a predetermined time period, the heating and pressing means is maintained within the second temperature range which is lower than a predetermined temperature range, and further, when the recording is not conducted for a predetermined time period, the temperature control by the temperature control means is stopped, and the heat generation of the heating and pressing means is stopped.
Thereby, the useless power consumption for a long period of time is suppressed, and the saving of the power consumption can be attained, and when the image recording is restarted after the comparatively short time recording stop, because the heating and pressing means can be quickly heated, the heating and pressurizing processing can be restarted in a short time.
(2-21) An ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of items (2-18) to (2-20), wherein, after returning from the heat generation stop of the heating and pressing means or from the second temperature range, while the heating and pressing means reaches a range which is a range not smaller than the lowest processing temperature, and a predetermined temperature range, the heating and pressurizing time is relatively extended, and the heating and pressurizing processing of the recording medium is conducted.
Thereby, it is unnecessary to wait for the heating and pressing means to reach a predetermined temperature range, and the heating and pressurizing processing can be started in an earlier time period, and the increase of the speed of the image print formation can be attained so much.
(2-22) An ink jet recording apparatus according to item (21), wherein, when the heating and pressurizing time of the recording medium is extended, the recording time per unit time period in the recording medium conveying direction is relatively extended.
Thereby, the recording speed of the image by the recording head can be almost the same as the heating and pressurizing processing speed of the recording medium by the heating and pressing means, and it is unnecessary that a special recording medium accommodation means for making the recorded recording medium stand by is provided between the recording head and the heating and pressing means.
(2-23) An ink jet recording apparatus according to item (2-22), wherein the recording head is structured such that it conducts recording by the reciprocation scanning along the direction almost perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium, and by adjusting the stop time when the movement direction of the recording head is reversed, the recording time per unit length in the recording medium conveying direction is prolonged.
Thereby, the drive frequency and scanning speed of the recording head are not changed at all and can be constant, and thereby, the ink injection characteristic of the recording head is stable, and the drive circuit and scanning drive system of the recording head can be simplified.
(2-24) An ink jet recording apparatus according to item (2-22), wherein the recording head is structured by a linear head in which the ink jetting nozzles are formed along the entire range of the width of the recording medium, and by adjusting the ink jet interval of the recording head, the recording time per unit length in the recording medium conveying direction is prolonged.
Generally, in the case of the linear head, because the ink jet interval is longer than the scanning type recording head, even when the linear head is changed so that its jetting period becomes long, there is an advantage that the change of the ink injection characteristic is small.